Cultivating true value beyond 'takers v makers' in open source

In my last post, I explored the ‘Diamond Pillar’ of the First Precept – the foundational practice of cultivating non-harm and kindness in our leadership. Building on that, I want to explore the principle that supports a project’s value and long-term health: the second precept - abstaining from taking the not given, and cultivating open handed generosity.

Where the first precept establishes safety and respect, the second guides how we exchange value and build shared wealth. In the Triratna tradition, this is known as the ‘Pillar of Gold.’ Gold is precious, a universal medium of exchange, and wonderfully malleable, adapting to whatever form is needed. It’s also incorruptible, retaining its nature through fire and pressure. I find this a powerful metaphor for the kind of resilient, multi-faceted value we strive to build in our communities.

This precept directly addresses a tension every open source leader feels. We hold the ideal of a community of passionate contributors, yet we often face the reality of volunteer burnout and what Dries Buytaert famously termed the ‘makers and takers’ dynamic. The second precept offers a path to transform this tension, not through stricter rules, but by cultivating a deep and authentic culture of generosity.

Redefining ‘taking’ - what is truly ‘not given’ in open source?

The traditional formulation of the second precept is adinnādānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi – I undertake the discipline to abstain from taking that which is not given. Its meaning extends far beyond the simple act of stealing, however. In our context, the most valuable things are rarely physical. The precept also encourages us to look more deeply at the subtle ways we might be taking from others what they do not, or cannot, freely offer.

In an environment built on volunteer effort, this could mean taking a contributor’s time and energy by failing to respect their boundaries or creating unclear expectations. It could be taking the community’s collective attention with unfocused demands, becoming what one of my teachers called a ‘human vampire,’ oblivious to the energy we drain from others. It might even be taking credit for collaborative work without proper acknowledgment, appropriating the goodwill and effort of the team.

When we view the precept through this lens, we see that our responsibility as leaders is to build an awareness of these subtle forms of taking. We must ask ourselves: are we creating an environment where people feel their time, energy, and goodwill are respected and held as precious? How can we ensure that the people and organisations who contribute are recognised appropriately?

The positive precept - building a culture of open-handed generosity (dāna)

Buddhist practice is as much about active cultivation as it is about abstention. The positive form of the second precept gives us some clues as to where we start addressing the ‘not taking what’s not given’ aspect of our experience: ‘With open-handed generosity’. This invites us to move beyond simply not taking and towards a proactive practice of dāna, or giving.

As I’ve written before, generosity in open source is wonderfully diverse and extends far beyond code commits. It manifests as mentoring a new contributor through their first pull request, writing clear documentation that saves hundreds of hours for others, or patiently answering a question in a support channel. It also includes providing the financial backing that ensures the project’s stability, and this dimension is crucial.

For maintainers striving to make their projects sustainable, creating clear and ethical pathways for financial contribution is itself an act which enables generosity. It allows the community to support the people whose dedicated labour sustains the project, whether that’s paying the core maintainers a living wage or compensating key contributors for their work. It makes the human effort that underpins our technology visible, empowering individuals and organisations to create a reciprocal system where those who give the most time can be supported in return. This transforms financial support from a simple transaction into a genuine expression of gratitude and interconnectedness.

When this culture is established, financial contributions often follow naturally. We see this in the Mautic project, where support comes from both large organisations allocating budget to the open source they rely on, and from smaller organisations making regular monthly contributions. Both are vital expressions of this principle.

But financial support and code contributions are only part of the equation. Perhaps the most significant act of generosity a leader can offer is creating an environment of deep psychological safety. This is the gift of fearlessness – a space where people feel secure enough to contribute their ideas, ask questions without fear of judgment, and even make mistakes and learn from them. This ultimate act of giving fosters the conditions for everyone else’s generosity, in all its forms, to truly emerge and flourish.

Generosity in conflict - applying kindness when harm is done

The practice becomes most challenging when harm has occurred. How do we remain generous towards someone who has violated community norms or acted in bad faith? This is where a nuanced understanding of generosity becomes essential.

First, our primary generosity is often to the community. Taking firm, decisive action to protect the community from a harmful actor is a profound act of giving. It is the gift of safety and stability to the many.

Second, even when taking action, we can be generous to the individual. This means focusing on the problematic behaviour, not attacking the person. We can communicate decisions with clarity and respect, preserving their dignity even while holding them accountable. It means avoiding unnecessary public shaming and, where appropriate, offering a clear and compassionate path for them to learn and potentially return if it’s appropriate to do so.

In a multinational and multicultural community like Mautic, generosity also means being willing to learn. It means assuming good intent first when communication styles clash and giving others the benefit of the doubt. It is a generosity of interpretation, an offering of trust.

The first recipient - practising generosity towards yourself

There is a real danger for leaders in open source to be generous to everyone but themselves. We give our time, our energy, and our passion until there is nothing left, leading directly to burnout. The second precept must also apply to our relationship with ourselves. There’s a good reason why the profoundly transformative meditation practice of the ‘metta bhavana’, or cultivation of loving kindness, starts by imagining yourself in the first stage, and wishing yourself well, before you move on to others.

Setting clear, firm boundaries is a necessary practice of self-generosity. It is an act of abstaining from ‘taking from your future self’ by depleting all your resources in the present. We cannot sustain our communities if we cannot sustain ourselves.

A vital part of this practice is learning to receive. Generosity is a current that must flow both ways. Being open to receiving help, encouragement, and support from others is the other half of the practice.

This is why peer support is so vital. It’s one of the main reasons I founded the Women of Open Source community – to create a dedicated space where we can practice both giving and receiving support, ensuring we can sustain our leadership for the long haul.

Conclusion - the gold standard of community

Returning to the metaphor of the Pillar of Gold, we can see how a truly valuable community is built. It is forged from countless small, precious contributions. It is malleable, able to adapt to the diverse needs of its members. And its value is incorruptible because it is rooted in the deep wealth of mutual support, not just the fluctuating value of its features.

The ‘takers vs. makers’ dynamic is often a symptom of a purely transactional culture. When we, as leaders, intentionally build a culture of multi-faceted generosity - one that values time, mentorship, financial support, and kindness equally - we create a system so rich in mutual support that the distinction begins to feel irrelevant. We create an ecosystem where giving and receiving, including fair financial compensation, become part of a seamless, natural circulation that nourishes both the project and the people who build it.

This is the gold standard we can all aspire to build.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What is one non-code form of generosity you could offer to your community this week? And what is one way you could be more generous to yourself?